At nine o'clock, Giles, Angel, Faith, and the Scooby Gang -- minus Cordelia -- were at the airport. They watched as a jet landed. As they studied the jet, Angel murmured uneasily, "No windows."
Giles looked over at Angel, and said, "There have been times that the Watchers have had to transport various objects -- or beings -- that could not be touched by sunlight. Such as you, Angel. They will be aware of who you are, so do not be surprised at their reactions."
Angel nodded his understanding, then watched as five people exited the jet. They walked over to the group from Sunnydale, and stopped a few feet away. An elderly man in the front asked, "Which one of you is the vampire Angelus?"
Angel was about to slip further back in the group, when he felt a vice-like grip on his left arm. He looked, and saw Faith grimly staring at him. In a low voice that only Angel could hear, she said, "I don't like this any more than you. So just tell them."
With a faint nod from Angel, Faith released the vampire. Angel moved forward, until he was in front of everyone, and said, "I am Angel."
The elderly man's eyes narrowed, as he looked Angel up and down. With a sneer of contempt, the man said, "An angel of darkness, no doubt. Be glad we are ordered to not stake you vampire."
At that moment, a voice that all present knew said very quietly, "I will not tolerate that, Father. He is our kinsman, and the key needed to destroy St. Vigeous...for the prophecy is almost complete."
In the stunned silence that followed, Maeve said to everyone, "Shall we board?"
It took ten minutes for all to assemble their belongs that they were taking and get into the jet. All except for Angel, who just stood pensively gazing at the jet plane, his shoulders hunched with his hands buried deep within his trenchcoat pockets.
Maeve walked out of the plane, and gazed at Angel, before saying, "Ready to go?"
"I'm not getting on that," he said quietly in response.
Maeve studied the souled vampire, then asked matter-of-factly, "You want to save your mate?"
"Yes," came the faint whisper from Angel.
"Then do what I tell you."
After a moment, and with a shudder of fear, Angel moved towards the jet.
Xander looked around and said, "Wow, all the comforts of home and still protected from the sunlight, hey Angel?"
Angel ignored the remark and looked at Maeve. "Now that you got us in the air. Can you tell us where we are off to?"
Maeve, with a serious tone, said, "Venice. One of the homebases of the Watchers...and something that only you can open. That is: only if you are of the pure Kells line, and possess enough of the Fey blood to do it."
All of a sudden the cabin went silent.
Giles said quietly, "Oh...dear."
"Is that good or is that bad, Giles?" Xander asked wearily.
Angel leaned forward, looked down at his now clasped hands, and whispered, "Why did you have to bring this up, Maeve?"
Maeve placed her hand on top of Angel's hands and looked at the bowed head and weary shoulders of the one before her. She said, with sincerity, "It is a parchment that has the prophecy of St. Vigeous. This is why you must face what you were destined to do by your family. You must come to terms with what has happened with you in your life. To ignore it would be to deny who you really are."
Faith moved to the seat next to Angel. With a rare show of concern, she said to the souled vampire, "Look, Angel, we all have to face things that we don't want to. Even now with us together it is hard for me to understand why. But we have to face this together…for Buffy."
"Where the hell did that come from Faith?" Oz spoke for once.
Faith looked up at Oz blankly for a moment, before saying, "I have no idea. All I know is that this is the right thing to do."
"Faith," Maeve cleared her throat, "it is time for you to understand why you are with the Watchers."
Faith looked up from Angel, and said, her face showing her confusion, "Huh? It isn't because I'm a Slayer? There's somethin' else?"
"It is time to tell you where you come from. The Slayer in you was induced by the hatred that occurred with those vampires. But the other powers that lay within you come from your true parents."
Faith became more confused as she asked, "What do you mean my 'true parents'?"
"You come from the Oracles. You are the next generation of Oracles, and we have been protecting you all these years for this moment that is at hand," Maeve explained.
"Oracles!" Willow squeaked in shock, as Faith demanded, "What do you mean 'for this moment that is at hand'!"
"The Oracles know the past, present and future. They possess vast amounts of power, but are only here to guide those that ask. To give 'faith' to those who have none. To answer questions that we cannot see the answers to. They protect and keep the balance of power, it is through them that we were given Faith."
Angel turned to Faith. "This is why you were brought into my life, Little One. Somehow or someway, I needed you and you needed me."
Faith began to go within herself, feeling lost and empty. Why did they send me here? I am not the one that Maeve speaks of!
Angel looked at Faith. He knows that she is denying her own destiny...as he is denying his. Somewhere in his heart he feels her pain. He starts to reach out to her, but hesitates, as another sense filled him.
"Angel!"
"Buffy!" Angel cried, surging to his feet, his eyes wide and unseeing of everything around him. He gripped the seat in front of him, nearly breaking the fabric. "Where are you!"
Everyone in the jet froze, as Giles, Maeve, and the man Maeve called Father gasped in shock.
Faith eyes grew wide as she connected to Angel. Images filled her mind, as she began to speak, saying, "I see it Angel. Nooo! It is them! Wait! They're going to Ireland... Stonehenge... some town near there. She is alright." Faith began to shake violently from the effort of trying to see through another's eyes. In panic, Faith said, "I can't break free! Help my Angel!"
Angel drew breath in sharply, as he forcefully broke the connection, sending one last thought to his beloved, "We are coming, my love."
Faith swayed, nearly collapsing, as Angel reached for her. He gently laid her out on the floor as Maeve and Giles helped hold her down, as her shaking became more violent. Faith finally shook one last time and collapsed into a deep sleep.
The plane touched down and awaiting them were three limos. All had dark windows to protect Angel from the light. It was afternoon when they finally reached Venice. They were taken to a Gondola that took them directly to an old library. The Gondola gently drifted into a hidden alcove behind the library. The gates closed as they stepped out to be greeted by other Watchers.
The head Watcher of the Venice branch greeted the Head of the Watchers Council by saying, "Welcome, Maeve. We have been anxiously awaiting your arrival. The rooms that you requested are prepared and ready. The gateway will be made ready the moment you wish it."
Angel moved cautiously with Faith in his arms. He knew that he would not get any answers unless he stayed with Faith and cooperated with the Watchers. As they entered the room Faith kept murmuring "It's them." He looked around the room to lay her down comfortably and await for her to come to.
Everyone found a seat and got comfortable from the long exhausting trip. All are concerned and worried for the welfare of Faith.
As Faith lay in bed, Angel stayed by her side. When the sun began to set, Faith awoke with a terrified gasp, crying out, "No!"
Instantly, Angel held Faith within his embrace, comforting her. Once she was calmed, Angel gently tilted Faith's head 'til she was looking directly at him, and asked, "Who's 'them' Faith?"
"It is them, Angel. The two vampires that took my...parents." Her voice trailed off. "I thought I would never see them again, but it was them. I remembered their voices. They are the ones who have Buffy. I am sorry Angel."
Cold terror filled Angel's heart. "No," he whispered.
Maeve came over to the bed. "Tell me what you saw, this is very important that you give us the place you saw Buffy at."
Faith shook her head to clear the fuzz that lingered there. Trying to recall the events that she had seen. "I could see and hear everything around her. She was on a plane like ours. I heard them talkin' about a place called Stonehenge. They also said they're taking Buffy to Amesbury, Wiltshire."
After a moment of silence, Angel slowly rose from where he had knelt by the bed, his expression one of terror. "No. Not there!" he whispered hoarsely.
Maeve looked down and thought for a moment, before speaking. "So they are going after St. Vigeous. Then it is time for us to get the parchment. Are you ready for the challenge that awaits you Angel?"
"What challenge," asked Angel as he visibly shook off the terror he felt.
"The parchment of St. Vigeous can only be opened by a blood relative of the Fey and Kells. You are the only one who could possibly open that document that is sealed in a vault below us, deep within the catacombs," Maeve explained.
"Why is that?"
Maeve looked deep within Angel's seemingly ancient eyes, and said, "None of your descendants possess enough Fey blood left to open the vault where the parchment is stored. They have not been able to since the third generation after your Turning. The only reason we know enough as we do is because of what has been written about the parchment."
As Maeve watched, Angel's eyes became distant, as if remembering. He whispered, his voice hauntingly distant, "Every third generation must one of pure Fey blood mate with one from the Kells bloodline, or all is lost."
Angel shook his head, as if clearing it. He focused on Maeve, and said quietly, "Now I understand what was meant by that." He paused, and his voice became commanding as he said, "Take me to where the parchment is."